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Beans Beans…They’re Good For…

Ok, so we all now how the rest of that poem goes. It’s true, though — beans are very healthy for you. Beans are also very economical. For example, when dried, they have an extremely long shelf-life and are relatively inexpensive, so buying in bulk and keeping it in your pantry is always a good idea as a means of keeping a long-term foodstuff to supplement your diet. Best thing is to keep them in airtight jars in a cool dark place (not the refrigerator).

From a nutritional standpoint, beans are wildly healthful. They’re an excellent source of soluble fiber (which is helpful in lowering cholesterol) — and who doesn’t want that instead of having to take fiber supplements? Also, since they’re generally high in fiber, they’ll help you feel fuller faster and for longer, thereby curbing your appetite for some of the less healthy foods (which is partially why I bulk up on the beans at those build-your-own-salad bars).

Beans are also hosts to many chemical compounds that are good for you — isoflavins, lagnins, phytic acid, sapopin and protease inhibitors — all of which have been linked to inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. Additionally, beans provide substantial quantities of folic acid (Vitamin B9) and potassium — both of which are essential to many body functions. Best of all, beans are a great source of fat-free protein, especially when eaten in conjunction with rice, the combination of which provides you with all nine essential amino acids (those Mexicans had something right)! Of course, the protein benefits vary from one bean variety to another, but as a whole they’re generally a very good source of protein without the fat.

But, there’s also a sinister side to beans (*cue bum bum BUM*). Raw/undercooked beans are also very high in a naturally occuring protein called Lectin (which is also a natural insectiside — probably how the bean protects itself from being eaten by bugs). Lectin breaks down during the cooking process — so fully cooked beans usually don’t pose a problem. Lectins, without getting into the full science, bind with cells in the lining of your GI tract which can then cause tearing. Your body’s response to this kind of “attack?” Simple: expel what’s causing the problem.

What’s the moral of the story? Make sure you cook your beans right. Also, to minimize the effects of the latter half of the aforementioned poem, I find it is best to soak your dry beans overnight, spill that water out, refill with a new batch of water and allow that to sit all day until you come back home from work. Then, spill out the second batch of soaking water, place your beans in a pot and cover with fresh cold water by about 1 to 1.5 inches of water. Bring this to a boil, and allow to boil for a good 5-10 minutes then spill this water out. After you’ve completed this process, the beans are now ready to be cooked by following any recipe you may have. Alternately, you may just cover them again with water, add some salt for seasoning, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover the pot and allow the beans to cook in the simmering water until they’re nice and tender (about the same consistency you would experience if eating canned beans).